Paul wants us to put on the boots of “the preparation of the gospel of peace that comes from God.” The good news, the gospel, is what offers peace. If we receive Christ, we receive His peace. That means we have peace with God, which carries with it peace within, peace with ourselves, as well as peace with others, which will also naturally follow. It’s in this vein of peace with others that the boots might be most relevant. The boots were designed with spikes in order to help one stand firm. However, they were also designed as lightweight footwear to enable easy and quick movement from place to place. God’s call on us in the great commission is to “go, make disciples…” It’s taking the message of God’s peace to others. So, this part of the armor is designed to take us where the battle rages most fiercely, and that’s in the lives of non-believers. It’s interesting that the purpose of the “war boots” is to bring the good news of “peace.” We are to be peacemakers. Jesus himself said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”
David Jeremiah writes, “When I explain the Gospel to people, and they accept Christ into their lives, they often talk about having peace with God. Their war with God has been brought to an end. Without peace with God, we can never be peacemakers. We have no peace, so we cannot share it with anyone else. We can’t give away what we don’t have. In order to become peacemakers, we must have peace with God. That means coming to terms with what Christ has done on the Cross, taking away our sins, and creating a relationship between us and God. When we became Christians, we were given peace with God.” As true believers ourselves, we now have something to offer to others. When we bring that message of God’s peace, indeed we are the messengers that Paul says has “beautiful feet.”
The Scriptures present Christ as the epitome of peace. He has bequeathed us His own peace and, as the Apostle Paul affirms, is the wellspring of our peace with God. He brokered peace with God for us through His sacrifice. This profound message has been proclaimed by the apostles far and wide, to both Jew and Gentile. Those who embrace Christ receive that peace and are then equipped with the ‘readiness’ or a preparedness to share this good news with others. In many ways, the proclamation of this good news of peace with God, available through faith in Jesus Christ, can be likened to a direct confrontation with the enemy. The most significant spiritual battle in the world today is Satan’s strategy. 2 Corinthians 4:4 states, “…the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” As peacemakers, we must let that light shine!